Battery making machine



United States Patent ice Niifili 3,157,269 sarrnny MAKING MACHENEHerbert C. Winlrel, Watervliet, Kenneth-G. McGowan,

This invention relates to apparatus for assembling battery plates andseparators into cell groups and, more particularly, relates to animproved apparatusfor feeding plates and separators onto a conveyor.This application is a division of Patent No. 2,908,377 filed January 18,

A variety of different mechanisms have been suggested in the past forfeeding battery plates and separators onto a conveyor. However, none ofthese prior machines have been completely satisfactory for thesepurposes. In some instances, the plates and separators have been pickedup by suction cups and have been moved over the conveyor whereupon thesuction is cut off and the battery elements allowed to drop onto theconveyor. This type of apparatus is not only relatively slow inoperation but also treats the battery plates roughly so as to knock offpieces of the lead oxide paste therefrom. Further, prior machines havenot been capable of feeding plates and separators at a high rate ofspeed and in such a manner that a stack of battery plates and separatorscould be formed on and moved along with a continuously moving conveyor.

Accordingly, the objects of the invention include the following:

(1) To provide an improved apparatus for feeding battery plates andseparators onto a continuously moving conveyor belt.

(2) To provide an improved apparatus, as aforesaid, in which individualplates and separators will be fedby their respective feeding devicesonto a platform where they may be engaged by impellers, as upstandinglugs, on the conveyor and urged thereby off the platform onto the conveyor.

(3) To provide an improved apparatus, as aforesaid, which is inexpensiveto manufacture and maintain, and which will operate satisfactorily witha wide variety of different types of battery plates and separators.

(4) To provide an improved apparatus, as aforesaid, which will feed andstack battery plates and separators at a much faster rate than ispossible with prior machines or by hand, but which will do so withouttreating the plates or separators roughly so as to cause damage thereto.

Other objects and purposes of this invention will become apparent topersons familiar with this type of equipment upon reading the followingspecification and examining the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a broken, end elevation view of a machine embodying ourinvention for assembling cell groups of battery plates and plateseparators.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view, taken on the line IlII of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view, taken on the line llIIll of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view, taken on the line IV-IV of FlGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view, taken on the line V-V of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 6 is a schematic, oblique View of a feeding device disposedalongside of a portion of the conveyor mechanism, as disclosed in thepreceding figures.

FIGURE 7 is a schematic, oblique view which differs from FIGURE 6 inthat the battery elements are fed end-' wise instead of sidewise ontothe conveyor.

For the purpose of convenience in descriptiomthe terms upper, lower,front, rear, and derivatives thereof, will have reference to theassembly machine and parts thereof as appearin in FIGURE 1. The termstrailin O end and discharge end will have reference to the left andright ends, respectively, of the machine as appearing in FIGURE 4. Theterms inner, outer, and derivatives thereof, will have reference to thegeometric center of said machine and parts thereof.

General Description The machine 1d (FIGURES 1, 2, -3 and 4) is comprisedof a rectangular frame structure 1 1, which supports a conveyormechanism 12 disposed lengthwise of the machine. A feeding apparatus 13,which is comprised of a plurality of feeding devices, such as the platefeeders 14 and substantially similar separator feeders not shown, isdisposed along the path of the conveyor mechanism 12 for feeding batteryelements, such as plates and plate separators, respectively, onto theconveyor mechanism 12. An exhaust system 18 is provided for removing anydust which may be loosened from the lead oxide paste in the batteryplates during the assembly thereof into said battery cell units by themachine it). Mechanical and electrical timing mechanism not shown may beprovided for synchronizing the movements of the feeding apparatus '13with the motion of the conveyor mechanism 12.

Detailed Construction As shown in FIGURE 1, the frame structure 11 ofthe assembly machine 113 is provided with front legs 22 and rear legs,one of which is shown at 24, said front legs being longer than said rearlegs, for reasons appearing herein after. The upper ends of said frontand rear legs, at corresponding ends of the structure 11, are connectedby coplanar end plates 26, which, due to the longer length of said frontlegs, slope downwardly toward the rear'of the frame structure i=1. Thelower ends of said legs are connected by parallel end braces 27 and aside brace 28. This leg structure is enclosed by a rear side sheet 36and a pair of end sheets 32.

A pair of parallel channel members 33 and 34 extend v between, and aresupported upon, the end plates 26, the front channel member 33 beingdirectly above the front legs 22, and the rear channel member 34 beingdisposed approximately midway between said front and rear legs. Asupport plate 35 (FIGURE 3) extends between, and is mounted upon, thechannel members 33 and 34, parallel.

with the end plates 26. A pair of parallel angle members 36 and 37(FIGURE 1) are supported upon, and extend between, the end braces 27 tosupport a motor platform 33 near the front of the machine 10. The framestructure 11 is preferably, but not necessarily, fabricated fromstructural steel and sheet metal in this particular embodiment.

The conveyor mechanism 12 (FIGURES 1 to 3, inclusive) is mounted upon. aconveyor frame 41, which is comprised of a pair of parallel, spaced sideplates42 and-43,

which support upon their upper edges a conveyor bed plate 44. 'Theconveyor frame $1 is supported at the opposite end thereof upon the endplates 26 by any convenient means, not shown, so that said bed plate :4is parallel with, and spaced above, said end plates 26. The front sideplate 4-2 of the conveyor frame 41 is preferably parallel with, andspaced rearwardly from, the rear channel member 34.

A pair of substantially identical, endless conveyor chains 47 and 48 aredisposed between the side plates 42 and 43 so that the upper courses 49and 50 of said chains are disposed upon the upper surface of the bedplate 4-4, parallel with, and spaced from, each other. The conw veyorchains 47 and 43 are supported at the trailing ends of their uppercourses upon the sprockets 52 and 53, which sprockets are in turnmounted upon a shaft 54 rotatably supported upon the side plates 42 and43. Said conveyor chains 47 and 48 are supported at the discharge endsof their upper courses upon suitable sprockets, which are mounted upon ashaft rotatably supported between, and upon, the side plates 42 and 43as shown in the aforementioned Patent No. 2,908,377. The chains 47 and48 are each provided with a plurality of uniformly spaced hooks 58,which extend upwardly from the upper courses of said chains, and arealigned in pairs transversely of said upper courses for simultaneouslyengaging plates and/or plate separators as they are fed onto saidconveyor chains 47 and 48 by means described in detail hereinafter.

The upper reaches 49 and 50 of the chains 47 and 43 are driven towardthe discharge end (upwardly in FIG- URE 2) through means such as shownin said Patent No. 2,908,377 by a line shaft 67, which is substantiallyparallel with, and disposed between, the channel members 33 and 34. Theline shaft 67 (FIGURE 1) is connected by a chain 69 to a gear box 68,which is operated by the motor 71 through the pulley 72 and theinterconnecting belt 74. The pulley 72 on the motor 71 may be a variablepitch type.

Upper course guide bars 93 and 94 (FIGURE 2) are disposed upon theconveyor bed plate 44 parallel with, and adjacent to, the rearward sidesof the upper courses 49 and 50, respectively. A side sheet 114 (FIGURE3) is secured to, and extends above, the rear side plate 43 to preventlateral displacement of the battery elements as they are moved along thebed plate 44 by the conveyor chains 47 and 48.

The feeding device 14 has a pair of substantially parallel, spaced sideplates 121 and 122, which are mounted upon the support plate 35,transversely of the channel members 33 and 34. A pair of spaced, uprightside posts 123 and 124 (FIGURE 3) are secured to each side plate 121 and122 near the rear end thereof, and a pair of spaced, upright end posts125 (FIGURE are disposed between the rearward side posts 123 andsupported thereon by means of crossbars 126. The side posts 123 and 124and end posts 125 cooperate to define three sides of a compartment 127into which stacks of battery plates or battery plate separators areinserted. The posts 123, 124 and 125 are perpendicular to the sloped,upper surface of the frame structure 11 and, therefore, are inclined tothe vertical. Thus, plates and/or separators placed within thecompartment 127 will lean against the end posts 125 thereof. In the caseof the plate feeder 14, an end wall sheet 128 is mounted upon, andacross, the end posts 125 and the rear side posts 124 to confine anydust from the battery plates within the compartment 127.

A horizontally reciprocable shuttle member 128, which is substantiallyparallel with the support plate 35, is mounted along its lateral edgesupon a plurality of rollers 129, which are rotatably supported upon theside plates 121 and 122 near to, but spaced from, the upper edgesthereof. Said shuttle member is comprised of a flat, shuttle plate 131,which forms the bottom of the compartment 127, and a selector plate 132,which is secured upon the shuttle plate 131, as by means of the screw133, for adjustment lengthwise of the plate 131. When the shuttle member128 is in its retracted or frontward position, as shown in FIGURES 2 and3, the selector plate 132 is spaced from the endposts 125 a distancesomewhat greater than the width of the particular battery elementshandled by the feeding device. When the shuttle member 128 is movedrearwardly, the rearward edge 134 of the selector plate 132 engages thebottom plate or separator in the stack within the compartment 127,urging said plate or separator rearwardly below and beyond the lowerends of the end posts 125.

A limit plate 135 is slidably disposed between the end posts forvertical adjustment therebtween. Adjustment means, including anadjustment block 136 mounted upon the crossbar 126, an adjustment screw137 extending into the adjustment block 136 and an adjustment plate 133secured to the limit plate 135, through which the adjustment screw isthreadedly received, is provided for adjusting the lower edge of thelimit plate with respect to the upper surface of the shuttle plate 131,which is movable thereunder. A pair of downwardly extending positioningmembers 139 are pivotally mounted upon opposite edges of the plate 135near its lower end and are resiliently prevented from being pivotedrearwardly, as shown in FIGURE 4, by the leaf spring 141. In thisparticular embodiment, the positioning members 139 extend downwardly aslightly greater distance than does the lower edge of the limit plate135, as, for example, approximately .015 of an inch, for reasonsappearing hereinafter.

A pair of stripping posts 142 are supported upon, and extend downwardlyfrom, a transverse support bar 143, which is adjustably mounted upon theupper edges of the side plates 121 and 122, immediately frontward of thecompartment 127. The rearward edges of said stripping posts 142 definethe front end of the compartment 127 and, accordingly, prevent frontwardmovement of the stack of battery elements out of said compartment 127when the shuttle member 128 is returned to its frontward, or rightward,position, as appearing in FIGURES 2 and 3, after feeding a batteryelement out through the rearward wall of said compartment.

One or more exhaust openings 145 are provided in, and through, thatportion of the shuttle plate 131, near the rearward end thereof, whichis disposed at the bottom of the compartment 127 when said shuttlemember 128 is rotated. Any dust or powder within said compartment isremoved through the exhaust openings 145 into the exhaust conduits 146,which communicate with the exhaust system 18, described in detailhereinafter. Particularly in the case of the separators, said exhaustsystem operates through said openings 145 to hold the battery elementsfirmly against the plate 131 during the movement thereof beneath the endposts 125. The separators, and sometimes the battery plates, becomewarped during handling or manufacture, and some means must be providedfor holding them in a relatively planar position so they can passuninterruptedly beneath said limit plate 135. Thus, the exhaust system18, operating through the conduits 146 and the exhaust openings 145,provides means for dust removal, as well as for positioning of thebattery elements for more efficient feeding thereof, hence, fewermalfunctions.

A pivot block 147 is mounted upon the lower surface of the shuttlemember 128 and has a semi-cylindrical, downwardly opening pivot recess148 disposed transversely of the shuttle member 128. A pivot roller 149,which is removably disposed within the pivot slot 148, is rotatablysecured to the upper end of a pivot bar 151, whose lower end ispivotally mounted upon an elongated pivot shaft 152, which is supportedupon the frame structure 11, as by the brackets 153, below andsubstantially parallel with the line shaft 67. A cam follower 154(FIGURE 4) is rotatably mounted upon, and extends sidewardly from, thepivot bar 151, between the upper and lower ends thereof, for receptioninto an eccentric cam groove 155 in the face of a cam disk 156 mountedupon, and rotatable with, the line shaft 67, below the shuttle member138. Thus, rotation of the line shaft 67, hence the cam disk 156,effects a horizontal reciprocation of the shuttle member 128transversely of the machine 10, hence transversely of the conveyormechanism 12. In this particular embodiment, both the pivot bar 151 andthe upper portion of the cam disk 156 extend upwardly through a slot 157(FIGURE 3) in the support plate 35.

A pair of substantially identical plate stack gripping mechanisms 158and 159 (FIGURES 2, 3 and 5) are disposed upon opposite sides of eachplate feeder 14. Since said gripping mechanisms are substantiallyidentical, in this particular embodiment, the detailed description ofone of said gripping mechanisms will be given herein and i such will beunderstood to apply to both of said gripping mechanisms.

The gripping mechanism 158 is comprised of a vertically movable,gripping plate 161, which is slidably disposed between the side posts123 and 124. A pair of cam rollers 162 and 163 are rotatably supportedupon a substantially horizontal shaft 164 for engagement with the outersurface of the gripping plate 161. Said shaft 164 is mounted upon theside posts 123 and 124 near the upper edge of the side plate 122. Thegripping plate 161 is prevented from falling outwardly from thecompartment 127 by means of a crossbar 165 secured to the side posts1233 and 124 near the upper end, and outwardly, of said plate 163, andby means of the upper edge of the side plate 122. A flat, resilientgripping sheet 166, which may be fabricated from relatively soft rubber,is secured to the inner surface of the plate 161 near the lower edgethereof for engaging the adjacent edges of the battery plates disposedwithin the compartment 127. The upper portion of the gripping sheet 166is beveled into the plane of the inner surface of the plate 161 so thatonly the lower battery plates Within the compartment are engaged by saidgripping sheet.

A flange 167 is secured to, and extends outwardly from, the plate 161near the upper edge thereof. A lift bar 168' is releasably engaged atits upper end with the flange 167 and is pivotally mounted at its lowerend upon a rocker arme 169 (FIGURES Z and 5) between the ends thereof.The frontward end of the arm 169 has a downward extension 171 whichextends through an opening 172 in the support plate 35 for engaging cammeans such as those shown in said Patent No. 2,968,377 mounted upon, androtatable with, the line shaft 67. The rearward end of the rocker arm169 is pivotally supported upon a line shaft 175, which in turn isrotatably supported by any convenient bearing means such as are shown insaid Patent No. 2,908,377 upon the rear channel member 34.

A pair of resilient members, such as the springs 177, are securedbetween the cam roller shaft 164 and the gripping plate 161 at pointsabove said cam roller shaft for the purpose of assisting gravity inurging said plate 161, hence the forward end of the rocker armlfiQ,downwardly against the cam means. Thus, the plate 161 is urged upwardlyby the rocker arm 169 operating through the lift bar 168 each time theline shaft 67 is rotated. An upwardly and inwardly tapered cam plate 173(FIGURE 5) is mounted upon the outer surface of the vertical plate 161,near the lower end thereof for engagement with the cam rollers 162 and163. Thus, as the gripping plate 163i is raised by the cam means, thecam strip 17%, upon being engaged by the cam rollers 162 and 163, urgesthe lower end of said plate 161 inwardly toward the stack of batteryplates disposed within the compartment 127 for the purpose of engagingthe adjacent edges of said plates. The bottom, expanded end of the camstrip 178 may be arranged for engaging the upper adjacent edge of theside plate 122 for the purpose of limiting the downward movement of theplate 161 and thereby preventing its interference with the reciprocablemovement of the shuttle member 128.

Since the gripping mechanisms and 15? are substantially identical,upward movement of their respective gripping plates 161 will cause thelower ends of said plates to move toward each other as they moveupwardly, thereby gripping the opposite lateral edges of the batteryplates disposed therebetween for the purpose of raising the stack ofsaid plates and relieving the pressure on the lower one or two withinsaid stack. Thus, the shuttle member 128 can move the bottom one of saidplates out through the rearward wall of the compartment 127 without im-7 e pedance from frictional resistance due to the load of the stack.Obviously, elimination of the load also eliminates the possibilityofdamage or disfiguration of said plates due to scraping or forcing thebattery plate out from under the stack above it.

in some cases, as hereinafter indicated in more detail, it is desirableto feed the battery plates endwise onto the conveyor 12 from platefeeders 14 located along the side of 'the conveyor as shown in FIGURE 7.However, the dimension of the battery plates which is horizontal innormal use is substantially constant for various sizes and types ofbattery plates whereas the dimension which is vertical in normal useoften varies widely. Thus, it will be advantageous to place the grippingmechanisms 158 and 159 at the front and rear ends of the compartment,namely, the ends intersected by the direction of movement of theshuttle, rather than at the sides of the compartment as shown in FIGURES2, 4 and 5. In such case, it may be desirable to load the feeding devicefrom the side (FIG- URE 7).

As shown in FIGURE 1, the line shaft is driven from the line shaft 67 bythe chain 179, which is engageable with sprockets mounted upon the lineshafts 67 and 175 near the trailing end of the machine it). A driveshaft 181 is rotatably supported upon any convenient bearing supportssuch as are shown in said Patent No. 2,908,377 parallel with, anddirectly above, the line shaft 175. The drive shaft :81 and the lineshaft 175, which are mutually engaged by gear means not shown, aredisposed between the rearward sides of the compartments 127 of thefeeding devices 14, and the frontward side of the conveyor frame 41. Apinion M52 is mounted upon, and rotatable with, said drive shaft 131adjacent to the trailing side of each of said feeding devices.

Vertically adjustable bearing blocks 183: aredisposed above the driveshaft 181 on eachside of the feeding device id for rotatably receivingand supporting the opposite ends of a stub shaft 18 disposed parallelwith, and directly above, the drive shaft 181. Said stub shaft supportsa pinion 185, which is engageable with said pinion 182 on the driveshaft 181, whereby a counter-rotation is effected between the stub shaftlsdand the drive shaft 181.

Each feeding device, such as the plate feeder 14, is provided with atransfer feeding mechanism 187 (FTGURES l, 2 and 3). Said feedingmechanism 187 is comprised of two pairs of resilient, peripherallyengaged feed rollers 183 and 13% mounted upon the stub shafts 184 andthe drive shaft. 131, respectively. Said pairs of rollers are spacedfrom each other and disposed adjacent to the rearward wall of eachfeeding device 14 and for engaging said battery elements as they areurged under the rearward wall of the compartment 127 by the shuttlemember 128.

A pair of spaced, pivot arms 191 and 192 (FIGURE 2) are pivotallysupported upon each stub shaft 184 and extend rearwardly therefrom,where they are secured at their outer ends to the opposite ends of a rod193, which is substantially parallel with, and spaced readw-ardly from,its stub shaft 184.

A support bar 194 extends rearwardly from, and is secured to, said rod193. A pair of pulleys 195 is mounted upon the stub shaft 184 adjacentto the respective, opposing faces of the two feed rollers 1188 supportedthereon. Another pair of pulleys 196 is rotatably mounted upon oppositesides of the support bar 194 near its rearward,

free end. The front pulleys 195 are connected to the rear pulleys 1% bya pair of belts 197 and 198. Thus, rotation of the stub shaft 184 by theinter-action of the pinious and 182 effects a movement of the belts 197and 198 so that the lower courses thereof move rear- I wardly.

A battery element support plate 199 (FIGURE 3), having a pair of spaced,transverse rollers 201 therein, is mounted upon the conveyor frame 41rearwardly of each feeding device and directly under each transferfeeding mechanism 187. Thus, when the battery elements are urgedrearwardly by the shuttle element 128, they are first engaged by thefeed rollers 180 and 139, after which they are engaged between the lowercourses of the belts 197 and 198 and the upper peripheries of therollers 201 in the support plate 199, whereby said battery elements aremoved from the compartment 127 onto the upper courses of the conveyorchains 47 and 48.

The rearward, free end of each support bar 194 is engageable by one endof a lift finger 202 (FIGURE 3), of which there is one for each feedingmechanism 187, the other end of said lift finger being secured to arocker shaft 203. As shown in FIGURES 1 and 3, the rocker shaft 203 ispivotallly mounted by means of the brackets 204 upon the side sheet 114along the rearward edge of the conveyor frame 41. The rocker shaft 203is pivoted through an arc of approximately 45, in this particularembodiment, by means of linkage 205, which connects said shaft 203 tothe line shaft 67. Said linkage includes a rocker bar 206 which ispivoted between its ends upon the frame structure 11 and has a camfollower, not shown, of any convenient type such as shown in said PatentNo. 2,908,377 mounted upon its frontward end and engaging the peripheryof a cam 208 mounted upon, and rotatable with, the line shaft 67.

A guide member 209 is mounted upon the side sheet 114 opposite each oneof the feeding devices 14, said member being disposed above the conveyorbed 44 at a distance permitting the passage of the battery elementscarried by the conveyor chains 47 and 43 therebeneath. A similar guidemember 210 is mounted beneath and upon each support plate 199 forsubstantially the same purposes as the guide member 209. The guidemember 209 and support plate 199 define a platform on which the panelmay rest before it is engaged by the hooks 58. The guide members 209 and210 have upwardly angled end portions 209:! and 210a for directingbattery elements carried by the conveyor chains 47 and 48 beneath saidguide members and support plates. Thus, the feeding mechanism 187 urgesa battery element out of its respective compartment 127 into the guidemembers 209 and 210, which are directly rearward of the particularfeeding device concerned. However, that particular battery element willmove under the guide members 209 and 210 of all subsequent feedingdevices which it passes as it is urged by said conveyor mechanism 12toward the discharge end of the machine 10.

The exhaust system 18 (FIGURE 1) includes a centrifugal blower 19operated by any convenient motor not shown. The blower inlet isconnected in a conventional manner to a front plenum chamber 213 andrear plenum chamber 214. The front plenum chamber 213 is in turnconnected to the exhaust conduits 146 (FIGURE 3) by flexible pipes 215.The rear plenum chamber 214 is connected by pipes 216 to the chamber217, disposed below the conveyor frame 41, through the lower wall 218 ofsaid chamber. The centrifugal blower 19 exhausts into an exhaust plenum219, which is connected to an exhaust duct 221. The exhaust chamber 217,being under the conveyor mechanism 12, will catch any dust or particleswhich are loosened from the battery elements during their movement tothe discharge end of the machine 10.

As shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, each feeding mechanism 187 is provided witha normally open feed switch 283, which is supported upon the support bar194 between the pulleys 195 and 195. Said switch 283 has a switch arm284, which extends downwardly toward, but does not engage, the supportplate 199. When the feeding mechanism 187 is in its lowered position, asappearing in FIGURE 3, and there is no battery element disposed betweenthe feeding mechanism and said support plate 199, said switches 283 willbe open. However, when a battery element is passing over the supportplate 199, the switch arms 284 will be raised, thereby closing the 8feed switches 283. The feed switches 283 of several feeding devices 14may be connected in series and, therefore, if any one of the feedingdevices 14 fails to feed a battery element onto the conveyor mechanism12 at the simultaneous and appointed time, the series circuit betweensaid feed switches 283 will be broken.

Operation As will be observed from the above detailed disclosure of theconstruction of the automatic assembling machine, the conveyor mechanism12, the feeding devices 14 of the feeding apparatus 13 and the feedingmechanisms 137 are all coupled together by various chains, sprockets andgears, as described above, for operation by a single motor 71. Thus, thespeed of operation of the assembling machine 10 may be varied byaltering the pitch of the variable pitch pulley 72 mounted upon saidmotor 71. After such operating speed has been selected as. desired orrequired, the plate feeder 14 is loaded with a stack of battery plates.

The limit plate is adjusted vertically by the screw 137 with respect tothe shuttle plate 131 in each of the feeding devices 14 to permit onebattery element at a time to be fed therebetween by their respectiveshuttle members 128. The selector plate 132 is adjusted upon the shuttleplate 131 to correspond to the size and type of battery element beingfed thereby in the particular instance. Likewise, the transverse supportbar 143, carrying the stripping posts 142, is adjusted along the sideplates 121 and 122 with respect to the end posts 125, also to correspondto the size of said battery elements. With this preparation, the machine10 is ready for operation so that the motor 71 and the blower 19 can beenergized.

During one feeding cycle, the line shaft 67 rotates the cam disks 156through 360 simultaneously, thereby reciprocating the shuttle member 128forwardly and then rearwardly. The reciprocation of the shuttle member128 moves the bottom battery element in each compartment 127 rearwardlyinto position between the feed rollers 188 and 189 of the correspondingfeeding mechanism 137.

In the case of the plate feeders 14, the element gripping mechanisms 158and 159 on opposite sides of each feeder cooperate to lift all but a fewof the battery plates in their respective compartments upwardly awayfrom said shuttle member 128. This reduces the force required to movethe bottom plate rearwardly, reduces the possibility of disfiguring saidbottom plate during the movement thereof, and reduces the amount of dustcreated by such movement. The gripping mechanisms 158 and 159 areactuated by engagement between the cam means on the line shaft 67 andthe rocker arms 169, which operate through. the lift bars 168 and thegripping plates 161 to engage and lift said battery plates.

The stripping posts 142 prevent the frontward movement of the batteryelements, immediately above that element being fed, when the shuttlemember 128 is returned frontwardly into position for initiating the nextfeeding cycle. The exhaust openings in the shuttle plate 131, and theexhaust system 18 connected thereto, provide means for urging warped ordistorted battery elements, particularly battery plate separators, intoa relatively planar position adjacent to the upper surface of theshuttle plate 131. The positioning members 139 on the opposite sides ofthe limit plate 135 adjacent to the bottom edge thereof urge therearward edges of the battery elements down. Thus, said members 139cooperate with the suction produced by the exhaust system 18 through theopenings 145 to virtually insure the successful feeding of anyreasonably satisfactory battery element under the limit plate 135without malfunctions.

After the battery elements come between the feed rollers 188 and 189,said elements are advanced to a position between the support plate 199and the belts 197 and 193, providing the feeding mechanism 187 is in itslowered position, as shown in FIGURE 3. The feed rollers 188 and 189 andthe belts 197 and 198 are all driven by the line shaft 175 (FIGURE 1),which is in turn driven through the chain 179 by the line shaft 67. Thebattery element is advanced by the belts 197 and 198 onto the uppercourses 49 and 5th of the conveyor chains 47 and 48, respectively, formovement thereby toward the discharge end of the conveyor mechanism 12.The rollers 201 in the support plate 199 ease the movement of thebattery elements onto the conveyor mechanism. The natural arch in thebelts 197 and 198 provides a positive, resilient control over themovement of the elements.

The rearward ends of the feeding mechanisms 187 are pivoted toward andaway from the support plate 199 about the axes of the stub shafts 184 bythe lift fingers 202, which are mounted upon the rocker shaft 203. Therocker shaft 203 is oscillated by the cam 2% operated through thelinkage 205, and, therefore, the pivotal movement of the feedingmechanism 187 is synchronized with the rotation of the line shaft 6'7.The purpose of the lifting of the feeding mechanism 187 is to free thebattery elements from engagement by the belts 197 and 198 for movementtoward the platform 17 by the conveyor mecha nism 12. As indicated bybroken lines at A in FIGURE 2, the battery element is disposed upon theguide member 209 and the support plate 199 when it reaches the conveyormechanism 12.

Shortly after said battery element reaches its broken line position A(FIGURE 2) and after the feeding mechanism 187 has been raised by thefinger 202 into its raised position (FIGURE 1), the hooks 58 on thechains 47 and 48 engage the trailing edge of the battery element andmove it toward the discharge end of the machine 10. The hooks 58 areuniformly spaced along the chains 47 and 48 at distances substantiallyequal to the center line distance between adjacent feeding devices 14and 15. The movement of the chains is coordinated so that one set ofbooks moves said distance between successive pairs of hooks during eachfeeding cycle, which is one full rotation of the line shaft 67. Saidchains are moved by the line shaft 67.

FIGURE 6 discloses schematically, for comparison purposes, the relativearrangement between the conveyor mechanism 12 and the feeding devices 14in the particular embodiment of our invention described in detailhereinabove. It will be apparent that the battery elements may bestacked in said feeding devices so that they will be fed onto theconveyor mechanism 12 either sidewise, as shown in FIGURE 6, or endwise,as shown in FIGURE 7.

Accordingly, we have disclosed a particular, preferred embodiment of ourinvention for illustrative purposes. However, it will be recognized thatvariations or modifications may be made in the assembling machinespecifically disclosed herein, without departing from the scope of suchinvention, unless specifically stated to the contrary in the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a mechanism for feeding panels of relatively fragile material froma source of supply to an assembling conveyor which is moving through aclosed path and has 5 upstanding impellers at spaced intervalstherealong;

a platform comprising a support means and a guide means, the uppersurfaces of which are substantially coplanar and which are spaced apartfrom each other in a lateral direction with respect to said conveyor,said support means and said guide means being elongated in a directionlengthwise of said conveyor and extending substantially paralleltherewith;

said support means and said guide means further being positioned abovesaid conveyor but below the outer ends of said upstanding impellers,whereby said impellers will engage a panel resting on said support meansand said guide means and move same onto said assembling conveyor;

upwardly angled means on one end of said platform for directing panelscarried by said conveyor beneath said support means and said guidemeans;

feeding means adjacent to said assembly conveyor for feeding panels, oneat a time, in a direction trans versely of said conveyor toward saidsupport means and said guide means, said feeding means having a panelsupporting feed surface substantially coplanar with said support means;

trans-fer feeding means including a belt conveyor normally horizontallydisposed in a direction transversely of said assembling conveyor andextending from a point adjacent said panel supporting feed surface oversaid support means, the lower flight of said belt conveyor as saidpanels are fed being closely spaced from the upper surface of saidsupport means and substantially parallel thereto, whereby a panel fedhorizontally from its panel supporting feed surface by said feedingmeans is engaged and moved horizontally onto said supoprt means by saidtransfer feeding means and then moved onto said guide means while beingmaintained at all times in a substantially horizontal position by saidbelt conveyor.

2. A mechanism as set forth in claim 1, said feeding means including avertically extending panel stacking zone above said panel supportingsurface and a horizontally reciprocating shuttle at the lower end ofsaid zone engageable with the lowermost panel therein for feeding sameforwardly toward said conveyor, said shuttle being parallel with. theupper surface of said panel supporting feed surface.

References Iited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,609,802 Ekstrom et a1 Dec. 7, 1926 2,348,691 Belli May 12, 19432,603,341 Knee July 15, 1952 2,908,377 Winkel Oct. 13, 1959

1. IN A MECHANISM FOR FEEDING PANELS OF RELATIVELY FRAGILE MATERIAL FROMA SOURCE OF SUPPLY TO AN ASSEMBLING CONVEYOR WHICH IS MOVING THROUGH ACLOSED PATH AND HAS UPSTANDING IMPELLERS AT SPACED INTERVALS THEREALONG;A PLATFORM COMPRISING A SUPPORT MEANS AND A GUIDE MEANS, THE UPPERSURFACES OF WHICH ARE SUBSTANTIALLY COPLANAR AND WHICH ARE SPACED APARTFROM EACH OTHER IN A LATERAL DIRECTION WITH RESPECT TO SAID CONVEYOR,SAID SUPPORT MEANS AND SAID GUIDE MEANS BEING ELONGATED IN A DIRECTIONLENGTHWISE OF SAID CONVEYOR AND EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLELTHEREWITH; SAID SUPPORT MEANS AND SAID GUIDE MEANS FURTHER BEINGPOSITIONED ABOVE SAID CONVEYOR BUT BELOW THE OUTER ENDS OF SAIDUPSTANDING IMPELLERS, WHEREBY SAID IMPELLERS WILL ENGAGE A PANEL RESTINGON SAID SUPPORT MEANS AND SAID GUIDE MEANS AND MOVE SAME ONTO SAIDASSEMBLING CONVEYOR; UPWARDLY ANGLED MEANS ON ONE END OF SAID PLATFORMFOR DIRECTING PANELS CARRIED BY SAID CONVEYOR BENEATH SAID SUPPORT MEANSAND SAID GUIDE MEANS; FEEDING MEANS ADJACENT TO SAID ASSEMBLY CONVEYORFOR FEEDING PANELS, ONE AT A TIME, IN A DIRECTION TRANSVERSELY OF SAIDCONVEYOR TOWARD SAID SUPPORT MEANS AND SAID GUIDE MEANS, SAID FEEDINGMEANS HAVING A PANEL SUPPORTING FEED SURFACE SUBSTANTIALLY COPLANAR WITHSAID SUPPORT MEANS; TRANSFER FEEDING MEANS INCLUDING A BELT CONVEYORNORMALLY HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED IN A DIRECTION TRANSVERSELY OF SAIDASSEMBLING CONVEYOR AND EXTENDING FROM A POINT ADJACENT SAID PANELSUPPORTING FEED SURFACE OVER SAID SUPPORT MEANS, THE LOWER FLIGHT OFSAID BELT CONVEYOR AS SAID PANELS ARE FED BEING CLOSELY SPACED FROM THEUPPER SURFACE OF SAID SUPPORT MEANS AND SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL THERETO,WHEREBY A PANEL FED HORIZONTALLY FROM ITS PANEL SUPPORTING FEED SURFACEBY SAID FEEDING MEANS IS ENGAGED AND MOVED HORIZONTALLY ONTO SAIDSUPPORT MEANS BY SAID TRANSFER FEEDING MEANS AND THEN MOVED ONTO SAIDGUIDE MEANS WHILE BEING MAINTAINED AT ALL TIMES IN A SUBSTANTIALLYHORIZONTAL POSITION BY SAID BELT CONVEYOR.